cpadmin@publicbroadcasting.netNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Oklahoma VoicesFri, 22 Jul 2016 20:32:42 +0000Oklahoma Voiceshttp://kgou.org
Jacob McClelandOklahomans go the polls on Tuesday for a statewide primary. All of Oklahoma’s U.S. Congressmen face challengers from within their own party, and it’s the first test for many of the educators running for state House and Senate seats. The Journal Record’s Dale Denwalt and eCapitol’s Shawn Ashley joined KGOU’s Jacob McCleland in the Oklahoma Senate press gallery to talk about the upcoming primary. U.S. House primaries All five members of Oklahoma’s House delegation face a primary opponent on Tuesday. U.S. Rep. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, will face Frank Volpe in Oklahoma 5th Congressional District. Both men are retired from the military, and Volpe voted for Russell two years ago. Denwalt said the challenger is criticizing Russell for his vote on the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill last December. “There were some things in that bill that people on the far right really hate,” Denwalt said. “You had Planned Parenthood in there, you had funding for the Affordable Care Act in there.”Contested Races And Educators Highlight Oklahoma’s Statewide Primaryhttp://kgou.org/post/contested-races-and-educators-highlight-oklahoma-s-statewide-primary
77505 as http://kgou.orgMon, 27 Jun 2016 17:34:42 +0000Contested Races And Educators Highlight Oklahoma’s Statewide PrimaryJacob McClelandNative bees provide a valuable service to gardeners, and there’s no downside to giving them a welcoming home in the garden. That’s the message Mike McGrath, the host of public radio program You Bet Your Garden, brought during a presentation on April 21 at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City. KGOU broadcast portions of McGrath’s presentation in coordination with International Pollinator Week, which runs June 20 to June 26. Mike McGrath Celebrates Native Bees At Myriad Botanical Gardenshttp://kgou.org/post/mike-mcgrath-celebrates-native-bees-myriad-botanical-gardens
77070 as http://kgou.orgMon, 20 Jun 2016 21:47:45 +0000Mike McGrath Celebrates Native Bees At Myriad Botanical GardensJacob McClelandThe Oklahoma Legislature is constitutionally required to wrap up by 5 p.m. Friday, and both House Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview, and Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, say they don't expect a special session as they grapple with a $1.3 billion shortfall. Hickman said nothing on the legislature's agenda is more crucial than finalizing the state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. "We made a commitment at the beginning of this session that we would address this historic budget situation that our state faces, and I'm very hopeful that we will finish our business and adjourn,” Hickman told reporters Friday. This week's to-do list also includes measures to allow most adults to openly carry guns without a license or background checks, a ballot measure to expand beer and wine sales in the state, a proposal to raise teacher salaries, a $125 million bond issue to repair and renovate Oklahoma's nearly 100-year-old Capitol and a possible attempt to override Gov. MaryOklahoma Lawmakers Gear Up For Final Week Of Sessionhttp://kgou.org/post/oklahoma-lawmakers-gear-final-week-session
75474 as http://kgou.orgTue, 24 May 2016 03:06:42 +0000Oklahoma Lawmakers Gear Up For Final Week Of SessionJacob McCleland Tornado season is upon us. Oklahoma saw powerful storms last week, and state and local emergency management leaders continue to grapple with questions about preparation. What else can local governments and the state do to improve public safety? Are there new ways to fund private, school or community shelters? What can individuals do beyond the obvious to protect themselves, and what does the research show? Oklahoma Watch executive editor David Fritze posed those questions to meteorologist Gary England and Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management director Albert Ashwood during a public forum March 31 at the Will Rogers Theatre in Oklahoma City. “Preparedness is not something that is given to you by the federal government or by the state government. Preparedness begins right at home,” Ashwood said. “Sometimes we work against ourselves. With the wonderful warnings that we get from the meteorologists, people want more and more.” England said meteorological forecasts and warningsGary England And Albert Ashwood Discuss Tornadoes And Public Protectionhttp://kgou.org/post/gary-england-and-albert-ashwood-discuss-tornadoes-and-public-protection
74204 as http://kgou.orgTue, 03 May 2016 15:15:23 +0000Gary England And Albert Ashwood Discuss Tornadoes And Public ProtectionJacob McCleland Not long before America’s entrance into World War I, James Montgomery Flagg, one of the nation’s most successful illustrators, worked on a cover photo for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly newspaper. Flagg hastily drew the image of Uncle Sam, which he borrowed from a British recruitment poster. It would be adopted by the U.S. government as a recruiting tool and would go on to endure as an iconic symbol of American patriotism. Christopher Capozzola, a historian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I and the Making of the Modern American Citizen, said Uncle Sam became the most familiar visual metaphor for America. “He turned the vast machinery of war mobilization into a family relationship. He gave political power a personal face and he helped Americans make sense of the presence of government in everyday life,” Capozzola said during the University of Oklahoma’s Teach-In on March 7. The U.S. Army was smaller than Bulgaria’s whenHow World War I's Draft Brought Out The Best And Worst Of American Volunteerismhttp://kgou.org/post/how-world-war-draft-brought-out-best-and-worst-american-volunteerism
72354 as http://kgou.orgMon, 04 Apr 2016 16:29:00 +0000How World War I's Draft Brought Out The Best And Worst Of American VolunteerismJacob McCleland Oklahoma will play a big role in both the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries on Tuesday, and four candidates hit the state over the weekend. On Friday, Republican hopefuls Donald Trump and Marco Rubio stopped in Oklahoma City. On Sunday, Democrat Bernie Sanders rallied supporters in Oklahoma City while Republican Ted Cruz barnstormed the state, including stops in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Lawton. Former President Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf of his wife, Hillary Clinton, in Edmond on Saturday. Despite heavy campaigning, some Oklahoma voters still haven’t made up their minds. KGOU invited five undecided voters into the studio on Friday, February 26 to “speed date” surrogates from the seven remaining campaigns. Meet our undecided voters Undecided voter Jeanette Schreiber, from Oklahoma City, can’t decide between Sanders and Clinton. She says a four- or eight-year commitment is a big decision. “Do you want the excitement? The inspiration? Or do you want thatSuper Tuesday Speed Dating: 5 Undecided Voters, 7 Suitors, All Hoping They’ll ‘Swipe Right’http://kgou.org/post/super-tuesday-speed-dating-5-undecided-voters-7-suitors-all-hoping-they-ll-swipe-right
70113 as http://kgou.orgMon, 29 Feb 2016 18:10:47 +0000Super Tuesday Speed Dating: 5 Undecided Voters, 7 Suitors, All Hoping They’ll ‘Swipe Right’Jacob McCleland The Oklahoma state budget is facing a crisis. Legislators face a $1.3 billion shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year that will result in cuts to agencies. At the same time, several state leaders have floated proposals to fund a pay raise for Oklahoma teachers. A roundtable discussion at the Oklahoma Policy Institute tackled the state’s budget crisis on January 28, 2016. The panel included state auditor Gary Jones, Republican senator Clark Jolley, Mickey Hepner from the UCO School of Business, Secretary Chuck Hoskin, Jr. of the Cherokee Nation, House Democratic minority leader Scott Inman, and Norman mayor Cindy Rosenthal. Damario Solomon-Simmons served as the moderator. “The quarter cent tax cut that was implemented recently didn’t cause the problem we’re in,” auditor Jones said. “Cutting the severage tax from 7 percent to 2 percent didn’t cause it. The real cause is because of the downfall in oil prices and it created a hole.” Even though the tax cuts did not create the hole, JonesBudget Crisis Focus Of Oklahoma Policy Institute Discussionhttp://kgou.org/post/budget-crisis-focus-oklahoma-policy-institute-discussion
69233 as http://kgou.orgMon, 15 Feb 2016 17:39:14 +0000Budget Crisis Focus Of Oklahoma Policy Institute DiscussionJacob McCleland The U.S. Congress if wrapping up the year with several key bills. Last week, the House passed a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law, and the Senate sent a highway bill to President Obama’s desk. On today’s show we’ll talk with Republican Congressman Tom Cole. The veteran lawmaker from Oklahoma spoke with KGOU’s Jacob McCleland on November 24 in his Norman office. Some excerpts: McCleland: You’ve noted in the past for a while now that you want Congress to debate authorizing war against ISIS. Do you think a war authorization debate is more crucial now than ever? Cole: I absolutely do. I’ve never doubted, frankly, that we’ve allowed the administration to exercise war-making authority without appropriate Congressional oversight. The Constitution is pretty clear about who has the ability to declare war. It’s not the President of the United States. He’s operating under the assumption that the authorizations given to George W. Bush in 2001 and 2002 cover this situation. I don’t thinkRep. Tom Cole On War Authorization, End Of Year Legislationhttp://kgou.org/post/rep-tom-cole-war-authorization-end-year-legislation
64992 as http://kgou.orgMon, 07 Dec 2015 17:30:00 +0000Rep. Tom Cole On War Authorization, End Of Year LegislationJacob McCleland Last week, the U.S. House passed a bill to halt a program that brings Syrian refugees to the United States. The vote came less than a week after the ISIS attack in Paris that left over one hundred people dead. Oklahoma has a long history of taking in refugees. Notably, Vietnamese refugees settled in Oklahoma City in the mid-1970s. Now, many Burmese refugees of the ethnic Zomi minority are establishing themselves in both Oklahoma City and the Tulsa area. Three Syrian refugees have settled in Jenks, Oklahoma. Some states have received many more Syrian refugees, while some states received none. Two agencies place refugees in Oklahoma - Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City and Catholic Charities of Tulsa. Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City executive director Patrick Raglow spoke to KGOU’s Jacob McCleland on Oklahoma Voices. Interview Highlights On the refugee process, and how it's evolved It’s only been since 2011 or so since Syria was producing any refugees in significant numbers. And soCatholic Charities Director: Refugee Process One Of Hardest Ways To Come To U.S.http://kgou.org/post/catholic-charities-director-refugee-process-one-hardest-ways-come-us
64202 as http://kgou.orgMon, 23 Nov 2015 17:30:00 +0000Catholic Charities Director: Refugee Process One Of Hardest Ways To Come To U.S.Jacob McCleland The future began 20 years ago, according to a new book by W. Joseph Campbell. In 1995, Timothy McVeigh’s truck bomb killed 168 people in Oklahoma City and sparked a debate about security. The Dayton Peace Accords ended a brutal war in the former Yugoslavia. The O.J. Simpson trial captured the imagination of a nation. Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski began their affair that led to the President’s impeachment. And 1995 was the year the internet went mainstream. In his book 1995: The Year the Future Began, Campbell makes the case that 1995 was the first year of the 21 century. KGOU’s Jacob McCleland spoke with Campbell on Oklahoma Voices to talk about his book. Some excerpts: McCleland: You talk about the [Oklahoma City bombing] really giving the nation a psychology of fear. How did this fear manifest itself throughout the country following the Oklahoma City Bombing? And how is it still pervasive today? Campbell: It is pervasive in the security related measures that I was referring to aFrom Oklahoma City Bombing To Dayton Peace Accords, 1995 Was Transcendental Yearhttp://kgou.org/post/oklahoma-city-bombing-dayton-peace-accords-1995-was-transcendental-year
63740 as http://kgou.orgMon, 16 Nov 2015 17:38:38 +0000From Oklahoma City Bombing To Dayton Peace Accords, 1995 Was Transcendental Year Oklahoma City’s location as a crossroads positions the metro as a hotbed for human trafficking activity. According to a Department of Justice reports from 2003, Oklahoma ranked fourth in the nation for the largest number of trafficking survivors in the United States. The top states were California, New York and Texas. The intersection of major interstate highways like I-35, I-40 and I-44 means human traffickers move sex slaves and others involved in forced labor through Oklahoma City. During a presentation at PLICO’s EXPLORE: Oklahoma Healthcare Summit in Norman, Dr. Larry Kincheloe explained some of the causes for the rise in human trafficking and the sex trade in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Kincheloe said factors include lack of awareness, sexualization of children, community factors, peer pressure, social norms, drugs, schools that are under-funded, overworked teachers, relationship factors, family conflict, disruption and dysfunction. “There are men and women who just hang aroundOklahoma City At The Crossroads Of Human Traffickinghttp://kgou.org/post/oklahoma-city-crossroads-human-trafficking
58812 as http://kgou.orgMon, 31 Aug 2015 16:00:00 +0000Oklahoma City At The Crossroads Of Human TraffickingJacob McCleland President Barack Obama is seeking fast track approval from Congress to negotiate the Trans Pacific Partnership. If Congress grants the president fast track authority, the 12-country trade deal can be approved with a simple up or down vote, and there are no amendments or filibusters. This issue has some Republicans siding with Obama, while Democrats are largely against it. Republican Congressman Tom Cole of Oklahoma spoke with KGOU’s Jacob McCleland about the TPP, the possibility of ending the 40 year old crude oil export ban and more. Some excerpts: On fast track approval of Trans Pacific Partnership “I am in favor of the fast track approval. I think you wait on the deal to see what is actually negotiated. Every other president has had this kind of authority when they’ve negotiated. The president himself effectively had it in the four earlier trade deals he did with South Korea, Colombia, Panama, I think Costa Rica. I don’t see how in the world you can negotiate between 12 countriesRep. Tom Cole On Fast Track Approval, Crude Oil Exportshttp://kgou.org/post/rep-tom-cole-fast-track-approval-crude-oil-exports
52058 as http://kgou.orgMon, 11 May 2015 16:01:00 +0000Rep. Tom Cole On Fast Track Approval, Crude Oil ExportsSteve Russell’s new career is a lot different than his previous one. The first term Congressman from Oklahoma’s fifth district is settling into his new job after spending 21 years in the Army, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served all over the globe, including in Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. His unit played a key role in the search for Saddam Hussein. Russell wrote a book about it, We Got Him! A Memoir of The Hunt and Capture of Saddam Hussein. KGOU’s Jacob McCleland spoke to Russell, a Republican, following a town hall meeting at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond on April 2, 2015. Congressman Steve Russell On Medicare 'Doc Fix', Iran And Hunting Saddam Husseinhttp://kgou.org/post/congressman-steve-russell-medicare-doc-fix-iran-and-hunting-saddam-hussein
50026 as http://kgou.orgMon, 06 Apr 2015 16:25:17 +0000Congressman Steve Russell On Medicare 'Doc Fix', Iran And Hunting Saddam HusseinTwo lawmakers with a history of filing open records-friendly legislation gathered with supporters of government transparency to discuss recent legislative measures they said ran counter to the spirit of the state’s Open Records Act. During the Freedom of Information Oklahoma Sunshine Conference on March 14, state Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, and state Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, joined StateImpact Oklahoma’s Joe Wertz – who’s a member of FOI Oklahoma – for a discussion that centered mostly on a failed bill they said would have given Oklahoma law enforcement too much control over decisions regarding the public release of police dashboard camera or body camera footage. House Bill 1361 would have allowed police departments to deny any request for body camera footage and other records that would "clearly cause excessive disruption of the essential function of the public body." The bill also gave departments authority to require advance payment for the costs of compliance. Holt, whoLawmakers Discuss Dashboard Recordings, Body Cameras, And Oklahoma’s Open Records Futurehttp://kgou.org/post/lawmakers-discuss-dashboard-recordings-body-cameras-and-oklahoma-s-open-records-future
49159 as http://kgou.orgMon, 23 Mar 2015 17:26:20 +0000Lawmakers Discuss Dashboard Recordings, Body Cameras, And Oklahoma’s Open Records FutureMichael RobertsUnresolved issues tied to education, incarceration and mental health services will hamstring Oklahoma’s ability to remain among the nation’s top 5 fastest growing economies, a panel of government officials and economists concluded during the Oklahoma Policy Institute’s 2nd Annual State Budget Summit. On January 29, OPI Director of Policy Gene Perry led the panel through “An Economic Check-Up” of the state’s current economic conditions and fiscal policies. Shelley Cadamy, the Executive Director of Workforce Tulsa, focused on the state’s low workforce participation rate and related challenges faced by job-seekers and employers. “The problem is a mismatch in skills and education necessary for those jobs,” Cadamy suggested. University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Business Dean Mickey Hepner echoed the point, saying that he doesn’t fear the future, but the state's lack of preparation for it. “It’s not okay for Oklahoma to be 49th in the nation in teacher pay. It’s not okay for us to bePanel On Oklahoma’s Economy: A Growing State With A Declining Workforcehttp://kgou.org/post/panel-oklahoma-s-economy-growing-state-declining-workforce
47838 as http://kgou.orgMon, 02 Mar 2015 17:19:45 +0000Panel On Oklahoma’s Economy: A Growing State With A Declining WorkforceOrganized citizens of large cities can be a greater force of innovation in leadership than state or federal governments, according to the vice president of the Brookings Institution. Bruce Katz discussed the premise of his book The Metropolitan Revolution during a January 28 event at the University of Central Oklahoma. He emphasized the country’s economic growth model needs to “get back to the fundamentals” without relying on state and federal governments to lead the way. “Like Elvis, the federal government has left the building,” Katz said, referring to congressional stagnation and recent shutdowns. By their absence of leadership, Katz argues, the federal government is saying, “you’re in charge.” The first step in Katz’s so-called “metropolitan revolution” is to figure out how local business leaders and city governments can work together to implement solutions he said are pragmatic, and actually solve the problems of their jurisdictions. “It’s time to re-think power in America,” KatzEconomist Katz Urges Oklahomans To Adapt To Changing Economyhttp://kgou.org/post/economist-katz-urges-oklahomans-adapt-changing-economy
47399 as http://kgou.orgMon, 23 Feb 2015 19:02:04 +0000Economist Katz Urges Oklahomans To Adapt To Changing EconomyKate Carlton GreerAt Oklahoma State University’s annual Economic Outlook Conference last week, industry professionals criticized low teacher pay, but forecasted continued job growth in education and several other jobs through 2015. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Deputy for Workforce Development Diedre Myers questioned how to best prepare Oklahomans for the surge. “What do our Oklahoma citizens need to do to have successful careers over their lifetime?” she asked. Myers says part of the preparation includes teaching employers to look for candidates with things like critical and analytic thinking skills instead of choosing applicants with specific majors. She also said schools need to more clearly define what skills are being taught in each subject. “Does it make a difference, when we’re talking about standards, what the actual subject is? Or does it make a difference what you learn when you take that subject?” she asked. ‘Education Matters’ During Myers’ presentation, she pointed out half of theKnowledge, Skills, Abilities Crucial To Primary Education Of Oklahoma's Future Workforcehttp://kgou.org/post/knowledge-skills-abilities-crucial-primary-education-oklahomas-future-workforce
42637 as http://kgou.orgMon, 08 Dec 2014 17:08:31 +0000Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Crucial To Primary Education Of Oklahoma's Future WorkforceBen Fenwick Education is a core service of Oklahoma’s state government, is woefully underfunded, and will cost the state future jobs if not addressed soon. That’s the message of some panelists convened by the Oklahoma Policy Institute last month, which discussed Oklahoma’s burgeoning fiscal challenges. The panel included Oklahoma State Senate President Brian Bingman, State Treasurer Ken Miller, House Minority Leader Scott Inman, Chief Financial Officer for City of Norman Anthony Francisco, Oklahoma Education Association Associate Executive Director Amanda Ewing, and Oklahoma State University economist Dan Rickman . Rickman said the state needs to play the “long game” by adequately supporting education to attract more businesses with a knowledgeable workforce instead of trying to use incentives like tax cuts. “Reduce incentives…We do not see any evidence that this is contributing to growth in our economy….North Dakota and Wyoming are using (energy taxes) to fund education. Their teachers areFiscal Panelists: Anemic Education Funding May Cost Jobshttp://kgou.org/post/fiscal-panelists-anemic-education-funding-may-cost-jobs
37857 as http://kgou.orgMon, 22 Sep 2014 18:43:37 +0000Fiscal Panelists: Anemic Education Funding May Cost JobsBen Fenwick U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor told University of Oklahoma College of Law students that adversity and even failure are vital in building a career. The justice finished a state speaking tour at the college on Friday, September 12, at the invitation of OU President David Boren. Sotomayor talked extensively with students, even leaving her seat on the stage to roam among them, sit with them, and take photographs with them. "There is value in adversity," Sotomayor told the crowd. "There is value to failure.” “If you take from failure a sense of accomplishment--a sense that it’s worthy to be a gladiator in life, to really battle for those things that you need to do--then you get a greater sense of satisfaction in yourself, even if you fail. And I say that because all of us fail at something. And you learn something about yourself.” "It is her personal quality of faithfullness to the rule of law that gives honor for having her here today," said President Boren in Sotomayor'sU.S. Supreme Court Justice To Oklahoma Audience: 'There Is Value To Failure'http://kgou.org/post/us-supreme-court-justice-oklahoma-audience-there-value-failure
37426 as http://kgou.orgMon, 15 Sep 2014 16:37:57 +0000U.S. Supreme Court Justice To Oklahoma Audience: 'There Is Value To Failure'Jim JohnsonStorytelling is an innate human trait. Long before the written word, stories were conveyed audibly through voice and music, and/or visually through art. They were used to explain significant events like natural disasters, conflicts, and histories. Myths, legends, fairytales, fables, ghost stories, heroic tales, epic adventures, religions, and origin stories grew from acts of storytelling. “I think it comes down to something as deep and profound as somebody’s DNA,” said professional musician and storyteller Patrick Ball. “There’s just something in somebody’s makeup that finds these things marvelous and wants to be a part of them.” Ball shared tales and insights into the art of professional storytelling during the 2013 Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival. “The very first time I ever heard anyone telling a story was in the Blueridge Mountains,” Ball said. “This was a pretty long time ago. I was living in a place called Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. I was about to leave to goThree Tales Told Well From The 2013 Oklahoma City Storytelling Festivalhttp://kgou.org/post/three-tales-told-well-2013-oklahoma-city-storytelling-festival
34284 as http://kgou.orgMon, 28 Jul 2014 17:20:32 +0000Three Tales Told Well From The 2013 Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival